Being a manager in the food service industry is known to be both taxing and demanding, as it often requires endless hours of work and careful management of employees. Whether it’s dealing with customers or suppliers, every aspect becomes the responsibility of the manager. Here are 5 of the responsibilities that make the career of a restaurant manager what it is.

1. Maintain a strict system among employees

The restaurant industry is known for its often temporary staff and wide range of job titles within every company. Managers are responsible for all of these, many times even the back of house staff too. In order to run the business successfully, employees need a reliable manager and clear duties, which are determined by the manager. Proper training is also essential in this department to provide professional service at all times. Untrained employees are visible from a mile away, and are not what you want in a restaurant.

2. Ensure the highest standard of customer service

Since customers are what keep a business afloat (beyond the staff), all staff need to be dedicated to excellent customer service. It becomes the manager’s job to maintain this work ethic and refuse to accept anything less for the sake of the business. This refers not only to the treatment of customers, but also the handling of issues and making sure everything from their welcome to their exit shows dedication and consideration.

3. Stay on top of product and supply orders

One thing that can ruin a restaurant is if there is not enough stock of any given option on the menu. The manager has to make sure everything is ordered in time and that regular stock take takes place to stay ahead of the process. A customer being told there is no stock of something on the menu is the last impression you want to make.

4. Educate yourself on every aspect of restaurant finances and admin

This is probably one of the biggest responsibilities as it reveals the success of the restaurant at any given time. Finances need to be monitored and managed on a daily to monthly basis, keeping turnover and expenditure in mind at all times. Something as simple as incorrect counting of cash or poor bookkeeping could have devastating effects on the business.

5. Market the restaurant to constantly attract new customers

Even the restaurants with endless amounts of regular customers need to bring in new customers everyday. Simple marketing tools like specials, unique features, impeccable appearance and social media all contribute towards making a name for the restaurant and attracting new faces. A restaurant with a great reputation is definitely more likely, and extra effort on the part of the manager goes a long way in the industry.

Those who have worked in the food service industry will know the daily grind of working behind a bar. As a bartender, you may think that title is the epitome of hard work, but few realise the pressure of being a bar manager. With the types of responsibilities that go with being a bar manager, it can be a highly stressful job, but can also be heaps of fun at the same time. The key is to know the tricks of the trade and how to keep your bar in the best shape possible.

Most people who become bar managers have (or should have) worked as a bartender before. Knowing the basics is essential and the experience is invaluable when you take on the role of managing a bar yourself. The bar and restaurant industry often has a sense of friendship among staff like waiters and bartenders, and it makes for one of the best parts of working in the industry. However, once you become a bar manager, you need to be able to separate the friendships from the necessary order it takes to run a successful bar. This can often mean letting go of inefficient staff and deciding who to hire, so objectivity will need to be your best friend. Although this can often mean losing friends, if your career is important enough, you’ll learn to find a balance between the two. After all, this is about your job and not your social life.

Once you’ve accepted your new position and the role you’ll need to play, your mindset of the work environment needs to change. As a bartender, it’s easy to feel detached from the work and business, but managers need to be dedicated to creating order and maintaining a stable environment. Factors like stock, deliveries, finances and staff are your responsibility now and in order to be successful at what you do, you need to accept this role and what it requires. Although the job still allows for fun and enjoyable experiences, you should be able to step up to the challenge of being more than a temporary part of the business, becoming a key feature in what makes it profitable. As a result, you’ll have to start caring about what happens in the bar, how customers experience the service, how your staff are able to offer their services and how financially profitable the overall department is. This can make all the difference between failure and success.

Nothing goes together with an evening out to dinner like an entertaining show. Cabaret has been an entertainment favourite in the U.S. for decades, with icons like Liza Minnelli propelling its popularity with the movie Cabaret from 1972. These shows are still loved today and can be found in a number of upmarket spots in many of the liveliest cities.

To give you a taste of the glamour on offer from cabaret dinner shows we’ve chosen two of the best cabaret bar and restaurant spots in New York City. The first is Café Carlyle, a Jazz restaurant located in the Rosewood Hotel in New York City that has been offering fabulous shows along with exquisite meals since 1955. This formal restaurant is a self-stated supper dining club and hosts cabaret shows while serving customers in a vintage styled area. Some of their most well known acts have included names like Woody Allen and Judy Collins (to mention only a few), ensuring to always offer the best performances.

The second option on this list is another up there with the must-visit spots: Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Bar and Cabaret. Located in the Hilton Garden Inn in New York, they offer meals made in both Italian and American style cooking, along with cabaret shows every Friday evening. Whether dining individually, having a few drinks or looking to book the venue for a function, they maintain excellent quality in both service and entertainment. With an elegant atmosphere and nostalgic appearance, their shows are definitely one for the books.

Theater productions make for a wonderful day or evening trip, loaded with entertainment, comedy and fun. These events rose to popularity during the 1960s and have remained a crowd favourite throughout the industry. The U.S. has many such shows to offer in a variety of states, and the best ones are often accompanied by a meal to make for an even more fulfilling experience. This perfect pairing is well suited to any occasion and will never offer a dull moment.

Although the bustling states like New York often have the best of everything to offer, we’ve found a handful of dinner and theatre venues throughout the country that offer the best in both their entertainment and their food. These include Murray‘s Dinner Playhouse in Arkansas, The Dutch Apple Theater in Pennsylvania, the Fireside Dinner Theater in Wisconsin and the Candlelight Dinner Playhouse in Colorado. These spots all offer a variety of production genres, excellent quality food and an overall remarkable experience you’re not likely to forget any time soon. While these are of the best, they barely scratch the surface of what’s available. Whichever state in which you live, you can be sure to discover a dinner theatre waiting to entertain you.

Taking place annually for the past 10 years, The World’s 50 Best Bars is an international competition of sorts whereby the best bars and drinking spots around the world are chosen for an elite position on the list. The awards take place towards the end of each year and in various destinations, paying homage to some of the drinks industry’s hottest locations.

The awards are sponsored by brands like Perrier Water, Nikka Whisky, Tanqueray Gin and Hennessy Cognacs, along with other leading names in the industry. Overall, the awards are organized by William Reed Business Media and provide a go-to list of spots for tourists and locals to visit each year. Along with the top 50 list is a selection of other special awards, such as titles like Highest Climber, Industry Icon, Best New Opening, Campari One To Watch and Highest New Entry. Featuring anywhere in these lists has become a highly esteemed honor in the industry and continues to make breakthroughs for many companies.

The latest list, released in October 2018, can be used to navigate your way through the best watering holes in all your favorite holiday destnations. The top five from this list are taken over by London, including the Dandelyan bar as number 1, the American Bar as number 2, and the Connaught Bar coming in at number 5. Although London seems to dominate a large portion of the list, you’ll find a wide selection of bars in the U.S. that have also made their name. These include Dante, Attaboy and The NoMad in New York City, Sweet Liberty in Miami, Tommy’s in San Francisco and Lost Lake in Chicago. With a variety of the honorable mentions (which reach up to number 100) also located in the U.S., you’ll never be at a loss for bar choices again.

As a part of Tales of The Cocktail, The Spirited Awards take place every year to honor the best in the drinks and bar industry. With the market continuously growing and attracting more interest, the standard of product and service have become of the highest calibre. These awards are sponsored by brands such as Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Peroni, Bacardi USA, Maverick Drinks and Royal Dutch Distillers.

The awards categories include the titles Best American Bar Team, American Bartender of The Year, Best American Brand Ambassador, Best American Cocktail Bar, Best American Hotel Bar and Best New American Cocktail Bar. There is also an international awards section to honor global bar talents. The factors that contribute to these awards are dedication, innovation, skills, hospitality, menus and the quality of cocktail. Some of the winners from the 2018 awards consist of Sweet Liberty in Miami for the Best American Bar Team, Lost Lake in Chicago for the Best American Cocktail Bar, and The Broken Shaker Miami for Best American Hotel Bar. These bars and all those nominated and awarded by this organization are immediately recognized and are confirmed to be your best choices for every occasion. Whether you’re looking for spirits or cocktails, these options will always please.

You might find a full spread of every type of chef in Michelin Star restaurants, but your everyday hangouts are unlikely to have 12 people each playing a lead role in the kitchen. You’re more likely to find on average three key chef titles in the quality local restaurants that don’t cost a fortune to provide you with a satisfying meal.

1. Head Chef: The head chef, as the title implies, is the highest title in a kitchen and is the only one of its kind in each restaurant. Their role consists of maintaining a productive and efficient kitchen, ensuring the other staff complete their tasks and seeing to it that every plate that leaves the kitchen is perfect. The head chef is also responsible for all the other kitchen staff, including the hiring and managing thereof.

2. Sous Chef: The sous chef is essentially the head chef’s assistance and works directly under them. This role requires the close management of the kitchen team, carrying out the orders and rules assigned by the head chef. There can often be more than one sous chef in a bigger kitchen, but the average restaurant kitchen usually only has one. The rest of the staff also answer to the sous chef, as they are, to a large extent, responsible for the goings on in the kitchen. This job title can also consist of an equal amount of pressure as that of the head chef.

3. The Expediter: While this job is often combined with the responsibilities of the head chef, the expediter does the final checks on all dishes before they leave the kitchen, ensuring everything from quality to appearance is as close to perfect as possible. Once the expediter gives the go-ahead, the food will be handed over to the waiter to be served on the floor.